Launch Economics
Part of Audience and customer separation
Avoiding pressure on fans to support a purchase
Make a creator product invitation clear and voluntary. Check loyalty language, product claims, promotions and checkout details.
Invite fans to buy only when the product suits them. A purchase should turn on the item and its terms, not on loyalty to the creator. Check that distinction across the post, product page and checkout.
Write an invitation people can decline
State what the product is, who it may suit, its cost and its meaningful limits. The creator can explain their genuine involvement. Leave room for a viewer to decide they do not need it.
Avoid claims that real supporters buy, appeals that make fans responsible for rescuing the launch, and public roll calls of who has ordered. They add social pressure without helping anyone judge the product.
A straightforward invitation is: “Here is what it does and who I think it will suit. The details are on the product page if you want to take a look.”
Check claims and commercial relationships
Read the message as an unfamiliar shopper would. Can they tell what they will receive and what the creator has actually experienced? Seeing a prototype does not justify claiming long-term use of the final product.
If another promoter receives payment, a gift or another incentive, make the commercial relationship clear. Do not present paid or rewarded reviews as independent opinions.
The ACCC provides guidance on online reviews and accepts reports about fake or misleading reviews and review manipulation. Australian guidance warns businesses to avoid false or misleading claims in social media advertising.
Remove surprises from checkout
Check that the displayed price and delivery information stay clear before payment. Make any paid extras and their costs clear before payment. Check that a stated deadline is real, rather than urgency the offer does not justify.
Before launch, ask someone unfamiliar with the campaign what the post says they would receive and whether it suggests buying is required to be a supporter. Revise any message that obscures the product or makes loyalty the deciding reason to purchase.
Key facts from ACCC guidance on social media promotions
- ACCC oversight on fake reviews
- Reports accepted via https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/scrutiny-of-influencers-and-businesses-for-misleading-advertising-and-online-reviews-continues
- Clear pricing requirement
- All prices and delivery details must be visible before checkout
- Social media ad transparency
- Paid promotions must be clearly labelled as such
